Tank top tray



Dec. 1, 1936. s v s 2,062,742

TANK TOP TRAY Fil'ed Feb. 28, 1936 INVENI'OR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 1, 1936 Stanley R. Davis, Detroit, Mich. Application February 28, 1936, Serial No. 66,210

8 Claims.

This invention relates to flexible rubber trays particularly adapted for use on the covers of closet tanks or the like. In the past the problem has presented itself of preventing various toilet accessories, which have been placed on the uneven surface of the top of a toilet tank, from sliding or rolling onto the floor or into the open toilet bowl. Also various types of powders and liquids are often spilled upon the top of the toilet tank and flnd their way onto the floor or toilet seat thereby creating a condition hard to rectify without thoroughly cleaning the entire bathroom.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved flexible rubber tray for the top of toilet tanks, or the like, to prevent articles from sliding or falling from said tank tops and also to provide more shelf space in the modern small bathroom.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved means for detachably securing said flexible rubber tray to a toilet tank.

A still further object of the present invention is toprovide means for keeping said flexible rubber tray level at all times despite the various contours found in the construction of the top of most toilet tanks.

Another object is to provide a new and improved flexible rubber tray for the top of toilet tank tops that does not require the use of screws to secure the same to the bathroom wall nor does it require the user to deface the tile found in modern bathrooms, and at all times the toilet tank top may be removed from the tank without detaching retaining rails or other obstructions from the bathroom wall above the toilet tank.

The above and other objects will appear more fully from the following more detailed description and from the drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a top view of a tray constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top view of an optional construction showing the suction cups for securing the tray to the wall back of the tank, and also showing the compartments for holding various toilet articles,

and

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, partly in section, showing an optional construction wherein supports are used at the front of the tray not only to hold the tray so that it will conform to the irregular contours found in the tops of toilet tanks, but to hold the tray tightly to the tank top by means of suction cups in said legs.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing the tray comprises a base III of soft rubber ableflexible material. A flange H is formed integrally with the base I!) and bounds the entire perimeter of the base. This flange acts as a- 5 wall or stop to prevent articles placed in the tray from sliding or falling out of the same. As shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the base ID of the tray, by reason of its flexibility, conforms to the irregular or sloping surface found in the top of 10 most toilet tanks, and preferably is graduated to increased thickness toward the front to compensate for such slope and provide, when the deice is installed, a substantially horizontal surace. terial toward the front of the base allows the base I 0 to remain even upon the toilet tank top I, so that articles placed within the tray will remain in a state of equilibrium. To hold the tray in position upon the top of the toilet tanktop ll, 20

there is provided securing means I5 which consist of hook-shaped clips hooked over the flange II and the back portion of the clip is lodged between the toilet tank top H and the wall I! so that the tray cannot be moved forward and off the top H. 2

In Figs. 3 and 4 are shown optional constructions of my invention. In the disclosure shown in these two figures of the drawing, a plurality of compartments I6 are provided, forming a tray within a tray, Ill and flange ii to receive various toilet articles and cosmetic containers of diiferent shapes and sizes. I These compartments also provide additional retaining members for said articles and as well prevent the toilet articles from falling 35 off of the tank top. Instead of such securing meansas shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, there maybe provided a pair of suction cups as I? formed integrally with or separate from the flangei l, and which may be secured to the wall M l2 in the usual manner. As shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawing, instead of securing the tray to the wall l2'adjacent the tank top by means of suction cups ll, suction cups 58 are suitably located along the front or leading edge of the 45 base ill. These suction cups l5 act as supports as well as means for securing the tray to the tank top H. The cups i8 may be formed integrally with the base, or separately, and secured to the base by means of small screws or other securing means. In order to keep the tray in a horizontal position at all times, there is also provided a transverse rib 20. This rib is somewhat shorter than the supports I8 in order that the base of the tray may remain level, al- 55 or othersuit- This increase in the thickness of the ma 15 formed integrally with the base 30 tank top. The suction cups l8 are made detachable from the base 10 to compensate for the recess found in many of the more modern toilet tank tops. When the tray is used on one of these more modern tank tops the legs l8 are removed from the tray and the base ill will then rest on the ridge formed along the front of the tank top. The transverse rib 20 will rest in the recess and tend to keep the base of the tray from bowing inwardly.

Although I have described a preferred use and form of my invention,-it will be understood that many changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the principles of the invention.

I claim:-

1. A flexible rubber tray comprising a base, a perimetrical rim flange upstanding from the same and means for securing the trayin position comprising flat holding members adapted to be secured to the tray and projecting downwardly therefrom to form a substantially parallel down- ,ward continuation of the rim flange adapted to extend-between the edge of a supporting surface and a wall abutting but slightly spaced from such surface.

2. A flexible rubber tray comprising a base graduated to increased thickness toward the front thereof,-a perimetrical rim flange upstanding from the same and means for securing the tray in position upon a supporting surface and a wall abutting but slightly spaced from such surface.

3. A flexible rubber tray comprising a base, a perimetrical rim flange upstanding from the same and means for securing the tray in position comprising a flat holding member extending downward from the base and hooked at its top to engage said rim flange, the downwardly extending portion of said holding member being adapted to extend between the edge of a supporting surface and a wall abutting but slightly spaced from such surface.

4. In combination with a toilet tank top arranged adjacent but slightly spaced from a wall,

though there is a decided curvature of the toilet a tray having its base graduated to increasedthickness toward the front thereof and being sufficiently flexible to conform of its own weight to the configuration of the top of the tank, and securing means arranged near one edge thereof comprising flat portions secured to the tray and extending downwardly therefrom along one edge and adapted to extend between the tank top and wall.

'5. In combination with a toilet tank top arranged adjacent but slightly spaced from a wall, a tray having a base and a rim flange upstanding therefrom, said tray being sufficiently flexible to conform of its own weight to the configuration of the top of the tank, and securing means comprising suction cups formed integrally with the rear portion of said upstanding rim flange to engage a wall abutting but slightly spaced from said toilet tank.

6. In combination with a toilet tank top arranged adjacent but slightly spaced from a wall, a tray having a base and a rim flange upstanding therefrom, suction retaining supporting cups adapted to engage said toilet tank top at the front of the base of said tray and a transverse supporting rib located midway between said supporting suction cups to hold the base of said tray parallel to said tank top at all times.

7. In combination with a toilet tank top arranged adjacent but slightly spaced from a wall, a tray having a base and a rim flange upstanding therefrom, suction retaining supporting cups adapted to engage said toilet tank top at the front of the base of said tray, said suction retaining supporting cups being detachably secured to said base and a transverse supporting rib located midway between said supporting suction cups to hold the base of said tray parallel to said tank top at all times.

8. In combination with a toilet tank top to be arranged adjacent but slightly spaced from a wall, a tray sufficiently flexible to conform of its own weight to the configuration of the top of the tank, and means for securing one edge of the tray in position with respect to said tank.

STANLEY R. DAVIS. 

